What are your thoughts on dressing up for Halloween at school?

[Posey]

School regularly(ish) has non uniform days, either book characters for World Book Day, Jeans for Genes, Red Nose Day etc.
Last year and this kids are invited to dress up for Halloween to attend school. Now I'm not all that impressed with the idea, don't think it entirely apprpriate.
Also ds who is only in reception, was terrified of the costumes last year in nursery (loads of rubbery masks) and I had to take him home.
He says he doesn't want to go to school on Halloween and I can't say I blame him.

Thoughts please!

I get cross with non-uniform days anyway as it's a pain to think up a decent costume - think it's a bit much to do Halloween - not everyone celebrates it for a start.

I really don't like halloween for all sorts of reasons, main one I guess being the begging disguised as "a bit of fun".

I get accused of being a kill joy when I say this though.

I don't allow trick or treat, but haven't been strong willed enough to tell my children they can't go when invited to fancy dress dos.

I try and make to costumes as un-goulish as possible though. Last year DS1 was a skeleton, as he'd been learning about his bones, I could kid myself it was educational! It was hard to get a mask that wasn't dripping in blood though - but I did get a cute smiling one in the end.

What does the teacher say? I'd be amazed if there aren't others who feel the same way. Perhaps they could have a no masks rule on the basis they can't work all day in masks.

Dds school are not allowed masks as some children have a phobia about them. One of her friends gets really hysterical about people in masks.

I can totally understand reception children being scared by the rubber masks, blood, gore and scarey costumes.

..you aren't having to pay 50p to do this as well are you?

Don't think a big deal should be made of Halloween in school, may be as a theme but not a full dress up day. Ours is usually still off for half term but actualy isnlt this year.

Not appropriate imo, because so many people have different views about Hallowe'en. Some will get really into it, some Christian parents will be opposed to it on principle, some easily-scared children will hate it. I would have thought that the school would know that it was a potentially controversial theme and steered clear.

Why not do Guy Fawkes instead?
At least that is based on fact and a real person in history??

I have no issue with it - fund raising etc, as long as masks are banned.

I have no issue with halloween though

Glad you don't think I'm being odd.
I don't have a problem with halloween, trick or treating etc, but do have a problem with it in school.
Will see what teacher says when we go back after half term.

Oh and yes, we are paying for the privilege and not sure which charity it supports!

I wouldn't have a problem with it apart from it being a nuisance to sort out a costume.

My ds's would love to do that but I can imagine that the teachers would practically have to write off any serious teaching for that day.

I don't have a problem with dressing up, nor particularly the "loss" of a proper day. It is optional, so of course he doesn't have to dress up. But school isn't optional. And it doesn't stop him being freaked out by the masks. Ho hum.

If it was me, I would withdraw my son from school on the particular day on religous grounds.

Our school does not celebrate Halloween. It offends muslims as well as christians.

halloween seems to offend everyone these days

why didn't it bother everyone years ago>?

I wasn't celebrated in the Americanised way it is now when I was little.

Erm, it doesn't really bother me.

Although you do make a good point about young ones being frightened by masks. Ds3 is in the school nursery and he is terrified by that sort of thing. He still goes on about a friend of ours who dressed up in a gorilla suit and it was a year ago!!

It is a difficult one - I do not really approve of the 'begging' aspect, same as i disapprove of the 'penny for the guy' begging that goes on BUT I do let my littlies go trick or treating around home as long as they only go to friends / neighbours with similar age children who I know will also be doing it!

This is also the last year as dd will be 7 next year, but hopefully there will be a Halloween party at Beavers they can go to

I wish that if it had to be 'celebrated' then schools taught the true meaning of it, and talked about the next day as all saints day as well, and looked at the whole thing in context.

This is the first time dd is supposed to turn up dressed up for Halloween. I'm not HUGELY worked up about it but I'd rather they weren't celebrating it. They are having a "spooky breakfast" with a list up and people have written "blood tarts" and so on that they are bringing along. I just find the whole thing a turn-off.

I have always managed to avoid Halloween so far, not sure what to do this time though. I was thinking of keeping her home because I can't be bothered with the whole thing or, if she does go, I might just dress her up as an Indian or something , nothing scary. Still undecided really.

i'm cool with it.

dd1's nursery is doing it.

Our primary school is 60% muslim and runs a highly successful Halloween Party to which all the kids, Muslim as weel as Christian come along.

Because of the religious mix of our school, it doesn't "do" relgious festivals: it covers Diwali, Eid, Chritsmas, Easter etc at the special assemblies as part of religious and moral education.

Our big fundraiser at the beginning of winter is the Winter Fair, not the Chritsmas Fair, even tohugh Father Christmas is there.

But it doesn't see Halloween as religious Maybe it helps that in Scotland, where the dressing up etc has long been a tradition (ie not one that we imported from the States) it is viewed more as a pagan festival!